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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28911465">To find Asriel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nova_Galactic/pseuds/Nova_Galactic'>Nova_Galactic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, In which Lee is a criminal, Someone almost dies, based around 2x03 and 2x04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:34:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28911465</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nova_Galactic/pseuds/Nova_Galactic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lee, still on the run from the Magisterium after Mrs Coulter let him go without saying anything, is back on his quest to find Stanislaus Grumman. He believes him alive, and is determined to prove that.<br/>Thing is, he wouldn't know what he'd do if he actually found him.</p><p>So then what happens when he does?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Parry/Lee Scoresby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To find Asriel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We have eyes on Scoresby. I repeat, we have eyes on Scoresby"</p><p>Several of the Magisterium's airships lined the skies, but by the time the intercom was received, the aeronaut had vanished out of the air. </p><p>"Nope, we've lost him. Everyone, search the skies. This is a convict we're looking for. An escaped murderer that Mrs Coulter is looking for. We can't give this one up"</p><p>Meanwhile, Lee had his the ground and he and Hester had taken to running the last stretch of the journey after spotting one of the airships on the horizon, never being the ones to be caught. "Look, Grumman can't be far away anyway, we've gotta move," he instructed with an air of certainty and confidence about him. </p><p>"How can ya be so sure he'll be around here, Lee?" Hester asked, keeping her pace against Lee. "For all you know, he could be dead..."</p><p>"Well, yeah, there's always that, but I bet he's around here."<br/>
They came across a fairly run down shack-like establishment, the only thing around for miles. "It's worth asking, even if this ain't Grumman... Maybe they'll know where he is."</p><p>They both approached the door, and Lee gave a brisk knock before standing down the steps. He watched the door pull open, as if whoever was on the other side was incredibly cautious about being discovered or something. </p><p>"Are you Stanislaus Grumman?" Lee enquired, looking up at the shadow of the man at the door.</p><p>"I have gone by a few names. Stanislaus Grumman is one of them, but you can call me Jopari" the man responded, stepping into the light. Lee caught sight of his long, dark hair, pulled back on the top of his head, and the blue eyes that shone with the sudden light. "But, how do you know that name?" He asked. </p><p>"I've been searching for a Mr. Grumman for years, Mr Jopari. Y'know, you just dropped off the radar and I aimed to find you before the Magisterium could"</p><p>Jopari nodded briefly. "You look like a well travelled man... Come a long way?"</p><p>"I'm originally from Texas, but yeah, I travel a fair bit, specially up this way on the search for you, though. Name's Lee Scoresby, it's a pleasure"</p><p>"Did the Magisterium follow you here, Mr Scoresby?"</p><p>"Not to the best of my knowledge..."</p><p>"Always a bonus. You best come in. I'll explain, and then it won't be a wasted journey. I don't suppose it was short, after all"</p><p>"You'd be right" Lee hummed. "As it happened with this particular journey, I came from close to Jordan"</p><p>"That's some hike," Jopari remarked, stepping aside to allow the aeronaut passage into his place. Once they were both seated, Lee nursing a hot coffee he had so desperately craved, Jopari began his explanation. "See, I'm glad the Magisterium didn't follow you, and that you aren't part of their inner workings. Though, I have to ask... Do you know or work with Asriel Belaqua?"</p><p>"Can't stand the guy, I'll be honest with you. Ain't ever met him, but I know of him, and I'm not likin' what I hear."</p><p>"I don't know anyone who does like him... But that part doesn't matter. In short, the reason my name keeps changing and the reason I'm out here is because I heard from him about these plans of his, and about Dust, so I reached the North first and faked my death so I didn't have to join him."</p><p>"Can I ask... Who were you when he knew you?"</p><p>"Colonel John Parry. When I knew Asriel, I was still going by the name on my birth certificate. John Parry. But I didn't want to arouse suspicion, so before I made the journey I started the whole Stanislaus Grumman charade and here we are now."</p><p>"You've been in the forces?"</p><p>"I was a marine at one point, yeah. Then I came across a portal out of my world by accident, and I haven't been able to find it since. Obviously I've been trying... I had a family to go back to. A wife and son... But, y'know, I haven't been able to get anything even close to coming back. Do you have a family, Mr Scoresby?"</p><p>Lee was almost too intrigued by Jopari's story to have heard the question... The whole leaving an entire family behind and more importantly, leaving another world. A parallel dimension.<br/>
When he finally clicked onto the question, he shook his head. "No, ain't ever been one for the datin' scene really. I don't have a family. But hold on... You said you come from another world?"</p><p>"I did, yeah. One where the word "demon" meant something evil and deadly, not your soul companion that reasons you through life. That's sorta why I was so surprised when I found out I had one. Anyway, I found one small way out. Ever heard of this instrument known as the Subtle Knife?"</p><p>"Yeah... Vaguely" Lee answered. </p><p>"It can cut through anything... Metal, a person's soul, and even through thin air, making cuts into the very fabric of the universe. I want to go back, gain allegiance with the knife bearer, and go home." </p><p>The aeronaut nodded in understanding. "Do you know where the knife bearer is?"</p><p>"Yeah, I have word of a tower in a world called Citágazze that I could get to via Asriel's portal in the sky... The trouble would be getting there"</p><p>"Mr Jopari, as it happens, I'm an aeronaut. I have a ship that could take ya through that gateway in the sky... But I can't say I'll be all that good at navigating Chi... Cita.."</p><p>"Citágazze" Jopari finished. "Don't worry, we can always wing it."</p><p>"I like your style. Okay, one last thing, isn't Asriel's portal near where you'd find the panserbjørne? You got it, Mr Jopari, I can take ya there" Lee grinned confidently. Jopari motioned that he let the way, and so the two of them set off, their dæmons trailing close behind.</p><p>Sayan Kötör flew low. "Jopari seems pretty enthusiastic about this" she hummed, "but he hasn't seen Will or Elaine in nearly 15 years.."</p><p>"Sounds awful. I could never imagine leaving a family for that long" Hester mused thoughtfully. "I bet he's itchin' to get back, see 'em again"</p><p>"He is, I know he's a bit scared of never seeing them again, but he doesn't want them to have moved on"</p><p>"Yeah, I hear ya. Well, Lee and I can only do so much, in the end"</p><p>"I know, and I'm sure we'll be grateful either way. Anyway, what did you say your name was?"</p><p>"Hester" the hare replied as they approached the ship. "And you?"</p><p>"Sayan Kötör" came the answer from the osprey as she watched Lee and Jopari board the ship from a perch on a nearby rock. </p><p>The journey towards the North was one Lee was supposed to know well; it wouldn't take him and Jopari more than a few hours. What he didn't know was that the Magisterium was still keeping tabs. They were in his path no more than half an hour into the journey. He saw the mass of airships in his line of vision and stopped for a long moment. </p><p>"That's not good" Jopari intoned</p><p>"Y'think?!" Lee looked out to the field of airships and heard Hester hum.</p><p>"Wait, what about... Lyra's mother? She's real tight with this lot. What if she told 'em you're a convict or somethin'?"</p><p>Lee's eyes widened as he heard the speculation. "Shit. No, y'might be right" he muttered.</p><p>"Elaborate..." Jopari had taken his eyes from the sky and was now focusing directly on Lee. "What do you mean you're a convict?!"</p><p>"Uh... See, on the hunt for you, I hadta go through this astrologist to see if he knew anythin' about you. He called me a heretic cos he assumed that what I was doin' was going against the Magisterium"</p><p>"Well..." Hester interjected, and Lee shot her a glance. </p><p>"Yeah, he ain't wrong... Anyway, he started shootin', so I shot back, and maybe I killed him"</p><p>All the while, the shaman was trying to form his own opinion of the problem. Of course, Lee was telling him the full truth, but the problem was, now they didn't have any good angle to get away from their somewhat inevitable death. "How did you get away from that?"</p><p>"Some extreme luck, I guess. Got arrested, then some woman- Watch it!" One of the ships opened fire and Lee instinctively pushed Jopari to the floor. The ship itself was hit; Lee heard Hester's shocked intake of breath.</p><p>"You okay, Mr Jopari?" Lee asked, now a little concerned that his impulse had gotten someone hurt. </p><p>As the aeronaut stood up and dusted himself off, Jopari nodded as he himself stood up. "Yeah. Thanks, Lee" he answered, unexplainably flustered. "Honestly"</p><p>"Nah, don't mention it. Hester, how does the ship look?"</p><p>Hester gave a brief scan of the area. "Looks like the engine is still in decent nick. We gotta get outta here, before they let us take another hit."</p><p>Lee gave a brisk nod. "Right. Is there another way around 'em?"</p><p>"Doesn't look like it. It's basically suicide, but there's somethin' of a chance."</p><p>"Good enough."</p><p>"Really? With those odds?" Jopari cast his eyes out to the open air, or lack thereof, and exhaled a light sigh. "No offence to your skill, but there's no way we can navigate that" he gestured outwards. </p><p>"We're surrounded on every angle. There's no getting out of it so we're gonna have to steer through it" Lee finalised, looking to Jopari regretfully. </p><p>Minutes later, Lee was raising the alarm, since another gun had fired and the engine was hit directly. All three inside Lee's ship made heavy contact with the ground, and even Sayan Kötör hit the ground hard from her flight. "Jopari? Mr Scoresby? Are you okay?" She asked weakly, landing just beside Jopari.</p><p>"Mhm... 'm fine, yeah" Lee muttered, pushing himself up against a rock, as the only one to have fallen out the ship in the landing. "How's he doin' over there?"</p><p>He, Sayan Kötör and Hester each spared a glance towards Jopari, who looked like he had already died. Anyone was ready to believe that, but Sayan Kötör was still fully alive.</p><p>"He don't look good" Lee quickly made his way over to the shaman and checked for signs that he might be dying. "But he's holdin' on. What do we do?"</p><p>"We gotta keep movin', Lee" Hester warned, shooting a nervous glance to the sky. "They're gonna be lookin' for us. Think you can take Mr Jopari, since I don't think you wanted to leave him behind"</p><p>"I'm not in love with the shaman"</p><p>"I didn't say that."</p><p>"...shit"</p><p>Hester laughed softly. "Anyway, for reasons totally unrelated to your feelings, we gotta help him. I'll deal with Sayan Kötör, you see what you can do about him..."</p><p>"Right" Lee managed a sad chuckle as he draped Jopari's arm over his shoulder, and he and Hester, with their injured party, set off to escape being caught</p><p>They were far into the forest, Lee trailing just ahead, holding on to Jopari, when he heard Hester call his name. His attention shot over to her, and the next three words he heard set his adrenaline pumping faster than it had ever been before.</p><p>"... We're losing her"</p>
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